Determination and help from mother become the success charm for two excellent UPM students

By Azman Zakaria

Photo Marina Ismail and Noor Azreen Awang

SERDANG, 4 Nov - Without father love since secondary school did not stop two students from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Khairuddin Akmal Mohamad Kamal and Nurul Ain Ismail to achieve excellent success in academic studies and win awards in the UPM Convocation Ceremony 2017.

Khairuddin Akmal who follows the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture programme at Faculty of Agriculture received a Chancellor’s Gold Award, whereas Nurul Ain who follows the Bachelor of Education (Teaching Malay Language as First Language) programme at Faculty of Education received a Royal Education Award (Bumiputera Category).

Eow Shiang Yen who follows the Bachelor of Science (Nutrition and Community Health) programme at Faculty of Medicine and Health Science received A Royal Education Award (Non-Bumiputera Category).

They each received a gold medal, certificate and RM5,000 from Sultan Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah who is also UPM Chancellor in the 41th UPM Convocation Ceremony today. Besides them, eight other students also received awards from the Chancellor.

Khairuddin Akmal, from Kuantan, Pahang said he feel overwhelmed and touched when he was told by Students Affairs Division that he won the award.

‘The medal is very meaningful… it is a gift for my mother. Without father in my life since I was 15 years old, I turned it into a strength for me to succeed in academic studies for my mother who sacrifices a lot.

My mother plays both the role as mother and father to my siblings,’ said the sixth sibling from seven.

He said that his father separated with his mother when he was 15 years old, and the school fees were paid by his mother and other family members.

‘My mother’s sacrifice motivates me to study hard… I want to repay my mother’s kindness,’ he said. Khairuddin Akmal is also active in football and represents UPM in the IPT league 2017.

Nurul Ain, on the other hand, said that she did the prostration of gratitude immediately after Student Affairs Division called to inform that she has won the award.

‘Feel very grateful… did not expect to get an award because there are many people who are excellent,’ said the eldest of three siblings, originated from Kulai, Johor.

She said that her father passed away when she was 14 years old and since then all family matters including the schooling of her siblings were managed by her mother.

She also said that her mother works in a factory and is still working to support her family and two siblings who still go to school.

‘I make the situation of my family life a charm and motivation for me to study hard. I want to help my mother and my siblings,’ she added.

Shinag Yen mentioned that she did not think of receiving the award and believed the selection made was not just based on academic achievement but was also inclusive